Sunday, 19 April 2009 - 8:15am |
Waikato

Speed and alcohol factorsi n car vs ambulance crash

1 min read

Waikato Police say speed and alcohol were factors in a head on collision between an ambulance and a car on a highway near the Hamilton Airport overnight.

Sergeant Warren Shaw of the Te Awamutu Strategic Traffic Unit said the incident happened on SH3 near the turn off to the Hamilton Aero Club.

"It appears a car has failed to take a bend and the vehicles have collided head-on with the ambulance ending up on it's side.

"The two St John Ambulance crew members and an observer suffered minor injuries in the crash and were taken back to Waikato Hospital for a check up, there were no patients aboard the ambulance at the time of the crash."

The 19-year-old male driver attempted to leave the scene of the crash on foot but was located by responding Police and breath tested.

"The young man's legal alcohol limit was 150 micrograms per litre of breath however he blew in excess of 800mgms, that's over twice the legal limit for an adult driver," said Mr Shaw.

SH3 was closed for a short period of time to allow the recovery of both vehicles and an initial crash analysis to be completed.

End